Virginia bans 7-OH, adds strict new kratom restrictions

"I don't think everyone is afflicted with the disease of addiction," she says. Somebody had recommended it as a healthy way to relieve anxiety. "At its core, this is a plant that's been around thousands of years," Fong says.

Kat’s Botanicals

Across the United States, state lawmakers are grappling with how—or whether—to regulate kratom, a plant-derived substance sold widely as powders, capsules, energy drinks, vapes, herbal supplements, and gummies in smoke shops, convenience stores, and online marketplaces. “It’d be healthy, not just for the long line of constituents of Boston, but also helping the state look at overall what folks are saying and taking the proper action to do a statewide ban on synthetic kratom.” Trouville’s son Tyrell died of mitragynine toxicity in 2024 after, she said, he regularly drank kratom products and considered it safe and natural. The chemical is naturally found in low concentrations in kratom, but when manufactured, 7-OH is exponentially more potent, binding to the body’s opioid receptors. It’s uncommon for kratom to cause major toxic effects, but when people ingest large amounts or combine it with other drugs, they may experience hallucinogenic reactions, convulsions, coma and, in rare cases, death, Clark warned. When kratom was combined with other substances, such as illegal drugs or antidepressants, hospitalizations increased nearly 1,300%, from 40 to 549.

Athletes, team executives and training staff in the NFL, VR Kratom NBA and MLB told The Athletic they had never heard of kratom or did not believe it was commonly used. “I look fit and super healthy, so people would be surprised that this was an issue,” he said. Last month, he tried to kick kratom a second time using Ibogaine and said he’s feeling hopeful it will stick. As a last resort, he said he turned to an addiction treatment facility in October that utilizes Ibogaine, a powerful psychedelic used in other countries but illegal in the U.S. He started taking kratom capsules regularly five years ago and then two years ago turned to a kratom drink called Feel Free. In Tennessee, where Clarke spent his entire NBA career playing for the Grizzlies, kratom is sold openly in smoke shops and corner stores.

Deadly substance under scrutiny as kratom byproduct shows up in gas stations, smoke shops

Councilwoman Michelle Ziel-Dingman, who originally brought the kratom issue before the council, said it’s not ideal for localities to oversee the potency of products and all the factors that make them safe. Councilman Jim Francis said even those whom he’s talked to who are against the ban told him there should be some regulation on kratom products, such as concentrates. If these actions are approved by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, Ohio will be the first state in the country to categorize all current and future natural and synthetic kratom compounds as Schedule I drugs.

Look for natural-leaf products with published third-party lab testing, clear 21+ age verification, accurate labeling, and GMP-aligned practices. Tennessee’s ban under “Matthew Davenport’s Law” (HB 1649) takes effect July 1, 2026, prohibiting kratom statewide, including powder, capsules, and extracts. Natural kratom leaf is naturally dominant in mitragynine, with 7-OH present only in trace amounts.

Davenport's 27-year-old son, Matthew, died after taking kratom, which interacted with his prescription medication. The products offered for sale on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease and/or affect any structure or function of the human body. We do not ship to states, counties, municipalities, and other jurisdictions in which the sale or possession of these products is prohibited.

• Claims that kratom and 7-OH products can treat pain, anxiety and opioid withdrawal are unproven.
• While potent kratom is certainly a good thing, it isn’t the be-all-end-all.
• A Doctor’s advice should be sought before using this and any supplemental dietary product.
• When kratom was combined with other substances, such as illegal drugs or antidepressants, hospitalizations increased nearly 1,300%, from 40 to 549.
• The designation implies that Kratom is a narcotic drug that is illegal to use, own, or transport in Australia.
• “We’ve seen the potential of mitragynine in the lab, and now we’re finally able to examine its potential in people.

The American Kratom Association said while the plant appears to be popular in pre-workout and post-workout routines, there is no data about its use in professional sports. “I mean it’s everywhere, every store I go into, every gas station, every mini-mart or convenience store,” he said. “They’re these little blue bottles that you find at gas stations,” said the former player, who asked not to be named in order to speak openly about his addiction. “It first came to my attention in dealing with local high school athletes that were using it for anxiety and pain control from soreness after practice,” Quigley said. Part of that disagreement stems from the nature of the plant itself. News stations reported that drug paraphernalia was found at the scene.

While potent kratom is certainly a good thing, it isn’t the be-all-end-all. Virtually every vendor will claim to have the “strongest kratom leaf” on the market. A potentiator is a substance that boosts the effects of another substance. The other downside of capsules is that there isn’t as much selection as there is for kratom powder. They’re best for people taking low doses or microdoses of kratom — rather than a full dose.

• Eight months ago, the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration classify synthetic kratom as a Schedule I substance, placing it alongside heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.
• Kratom legality in Florida adheres to the Kratom Consumer Protection Act.
• The online kratom community is highly discriminating and well-connected on forums like Reddit.
• The body makes these changes to offset the effects of the substance.
• Some manufacturers have begun isolating and concentrating 7-OH, creating products with alkaloid levels far beyond what occurs in natural kratom.

Kratom: Summary of State Laws

The longer answer involves understanding why regulators are treating concentrated 7-OH products differently from the natural kratom leaf. Ohio became one of the latest states to take action when Governor Mike DeWine issued an emergency order in December 2025 banning synthetic kratom products. The substance, commonly known as 7-OH or synthetic kratom, contains concentrated levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine, a compound derived from the kratom plant. Most states regulate whole-leaf kratom through Kratom Consumer Protection Acts that set a 21+ age minimum, require accurate labeling, and prohibit adulterated or synthetic products. Below we break down the FDA’s latest warning letters, Tennessee’s looming ban, a major Missouri settlement, and Florida’s expiring emergency rule, then explain what each story means for shoppers who buy traditional natural-leaf kratom powder and capsules. A plain-English roundup of this week’s most important kratom news for natural-leaf powder and capsule shoppers.

If concentrated, those kratom extracts can produce stronger – and, according to McCurdy, riskier – products that are quickly absorbed into the body. McCurdy said one issue is the various potencies of products that all call themselves kratom. Advocates for kratom say it has been a lifeline for many people who have struggled with chronic pain. One former MLS player who spent nearly a decade in the league said he thought of kratom as a healthy alternative to manage the pain of old injuries from his playing days. Alkaloids found in kratom bind to the same receptors in the brain as opioid drugs, such as codeine. Then Beutler came across a podcast where people shared their harrowing stories of kratom addiction.